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Russell Westbrook, OKC Thunder at crossroads

By The Sports Xchange
Oklahoma City Thunder's Russell Westbrook is at a crossroads in his contract with the Thunder. UPI file photo
Oklahoma City Thunder's Russell Westbrook is at a crossroads in his contract with the Thunder. UPI file photo | License Photo

Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder arrived at a crossroads on Monday.

When shooting guard Dion Waiters, a restricted free agent the Thunder allowed to walk in order to gain more than $12 million in cap space, signed a two-year deal with the Miami Heat, the Thunder set the stage for a make-or-break contract negotiation with Westbrook.

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With Waiters' Bird Rights retained, the Thunder gained the salary-cap exclusion needed to bring Westbrook's four-year contract offer to more than $110 million. He's in the final year of his contract and can make $17.7 million.

After watching 2014 MVP Kevin Durant leave in free agency, there is a desire to lock up Westbrook and find out where he stands this summer.

Trading Westbrook could become an option if he passes on a new deal.

Westbrook could decide to wait for the new collective bargaining agreement, a deal expected in 2017 and one likely to redefine the maximum-level contract, if not eliminate it.

Current projections for perennial MVP candidates Steph Curry and LeBron James are in the $30 million-$34 million per season range, and Westbrook might be willing to bet on himself getting to the $30 million range, too.

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However, because the Thunder retain his Bird Rights and can offer him the max, Westbrook would only get such an offer one of two ways: accept the deal from Oklahoma City or hope the franchise agrees to a sign-and-trade to a team with significant salary cap space, such as the Los Angeles Lakers.

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